respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  101

  New field service rules coming this summer

  by doinmypart in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  new guidelines for field service coming this summer.

  new publication to be released giving new ways of counting time, conducting studies, group activities, etc..

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  respectful_observer

  New ways to count time... I wonder if they will let you count time now for visiting the infirm or old folks.

  Isn't it kosher to count the time I spend posting here? That's pretty much the best excuse for what I put on my slip every month.
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  55

  Oh come on!!! seriously?? This weeks wt study!

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i'm sitting here at the mtg, and i can't believe the mind numbing stupidity of this weeks wt "study"...( i use the word study loosely too by the way...).

  how many dumb repeated questions can be posed to try and make a point?.

  the opening paragraph illustration re blindness is classic!

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  respectful_observer

  I have to suffer through this later today. I noted in the margin just one thing next to the word "generation": N-NMS (Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular ). How in the world do they get "two" (two is plural, right???) from a SINGULAR word????

  At the meeting, I pointed out to my S.O. the fact that the paragraph discussing the 1914 generation had scriptural referernces aplenty to back it up, but the paragraph describing the second, overlapping generation offered nary a verse to back it up.

  I left it as "hmmm...we should do some research on this. They must have some other article that actually included the Bible verses that support this."
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  41

  I NEVER Hear A JW Talk About Never Dying & Living Forever In Paradise Anymore!

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was raised with this belief, that we would never die and actually make it into the "new system".

  mu faithful jw aunt still talked about my mother (her sister) and her walking together into the great tribulation--- and never die at all!

  she spoke of that 2 days before she passed away.. i believe most witnesses expect to die and then get resurrected.

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  respectful_observer

  All evidence shows that this “day” is very near, which means that you may “never die at all .”

  I love that loophole language. If you were to use that in any real life situation, people would look at you like you were crazy.

  "Oh, that's a great car! All evidence shows that this car's warrenty still has 2 years left, which means that it may never break down on you. Want to take it out for a test drive?"

  "evidence" = "proof". Proof doesn't need couching language.
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  41

  I NEVER Hear A JW Talk About Never Dying & Living Forever In Paradise Anymore!

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was raised with this belief, that we would never die and actually make it into the "new system".

  mu faithful jw aunt still talked about my mother (her sister) and her walking together into the great tribulation--- and never die at all!

  she spoke of that 2 days before she passed away.. i believe most witnesses expect to die and then get resurrected.

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  respectful_observer

  The only JWs I notice who talk about the end being "so close" or that constantly talk about life in The Paradise TM are those who physically ill (the usual suspects: chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, etc.), depressed, or struggling to make ends meet financially, and who therefore have nothing saved for the future.

  It's rare to hear a JW that has a decent job, and who is healthy, ever talk about never dying and living forever.
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  26

  Critical Thinking from the Wife !!

  by TTATTelder in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the other day i had a couple of drinks and went off on the gb (again), about how they are just posturing and have no clue.

  i said if they knew what they were talking about we would already be in the new world, but we're not ..so they dont...the end.. well i got some push back as would be expected, but what surprised me was what she said a little later.

  firstly she didn't pay attention to the public talk this past sunday and instead read an article in a watchtower on stress.

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  respectful_observer

  I think in the new system we will still have accidents, I don't think that's what it means to be perfect.

  Bingo. I love it when they say "We won't need doctors and nurses in the New System!"

  R_O: "Really? What happens if you break your leg? Wouldn't you want a medical professional to set the bone?"

  "We won't break our legs; we'll be perfect."

  R_O: "So what happens if you're walking and a big branch breaks or a rock suddenly comes loose and falls on you?"

  "We'll be perfect, so we'll know not to walk that way at that time."

  R_O: "So you're saying we'll be able to see the future?"

  "Well no, but even if something did fall on us, we wouldn't get hurt."

  R_O: "So you're saying we'll be indestructable?"

  "Well no, but...."
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  36

  Replacing Guy Pierce—how big is the pool from which to choose?

  by L3G in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  respectful_observer's thread on guy pierce's death,.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/277198/1/heard-a-rumor-guy-pierce-died-this-morning#.uyq-pv21x1n.

  got me thinking.

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  respectful_observer

  Apognophos, did you know him when you were younger? I guess Friedman grew up near Boston; his father was a doctor, if I recall correctly. Apparently he was quite the hell-raiser growing up-- racing cars, etc...then suddenly got serious about The Truth TM . My interactions with him didn't occur until much later when he was a regular on the CA/DA programs.

  I'd be curious to read the "Don't Watch the Titanic" thread you mentioned...I'll see if I can find it (unless someone can post a link).
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  36

  Replacing Guy Pierce—how big is the pool from which to choose?

  by L3G in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  respectful_observer's thread on guy pierce's death,.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/277198/1/heard-a-rumor-guy-pierce-died-this-morning#.uyq-pv21x1n.

  got me thinking.

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  respectful_observer

  From an outsider's perspective, some might start to think Jehovah thinks that only caucasians qualify as heavenly co-rulers...well except for Sam Herd...he's cool.

  
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  36

  Replacing Guy Pierce—how big is the pool from which to choose?

  by L3G in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  respectful_observer's thread on guy pierce's death,.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/277198/1/heard-a-rumor-guy-pierce-died-this-morning#.uyq-pv21x1n.

  got me thinking.

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  respectful_observer

  We need a spanish GB, they have to inject some latin flavor to that old group!!! Amazing how we never have a list of the Minorities

  Was just thinking the same thing. I wonder if there are any partaking African, Latin American or Asian Org "heavies". Maybe someone from Argentina? The Catholic Church has been getting great press since Pope Francis, maybe the WT can have similar success! After all, most of the growth is coming from these less-developed areas of the world. I'm sure those new(er) JW's would love to feel that connection.

  All kidding aside, it seems like all the recent GB appointments all came from a Brooklyn-based inner circle, so I'd be surprised if they pulled a "Francis" this time around.
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  27

  GB Pierce - DEAD

  by Smiles in

  1. social
  2. current

  announcement here:.

  .

  http://www.jw.org/en/news/headlines/?v=2552828400#mid702014108.

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  respectful_observer

  Guess we can't call the GB the "Crazy Eight", anymore.

  ...and "Sept-pope" doesn't roll off the tongue quite as smoothly as "Octo-pope".

  They better fill that blank spot...STAT!
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  36

  Replacing Guy Pierce—how big is the pool from which to choose?

  by L3G in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  respectful_observer's thread on guy pierce's death,.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/277198/1/heard-a-rumor-guy-pierce-died-this-morning#.uyq-pv21x1n.

  got me thinking.

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  respectful_observer

  I'm sure there are others in the mix besides Joel Friedman, but since I'd met him several times in distant years' past, he was most front of mind.

  Here is another mention of him (spelled "Freedman") on JWN almost 10 years ago as being on the short list:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/81709/1/Info-about-Governing-Body-required#.UysfefldUYo

  A couple of 'anointed' COs--Tony Morris and Joel Freedman (sp?)--got pulled into Bethel within the last couple of years before I left the org. They had been COs for less than ten years at the time, so I'm not sure how much longer they'll have to serve before they're considered for the GB. There's got to be a lot of resentment among the upper echelons at Bethel about young COs getting promoted over their heads just because theyre 'anointed'.

  From what I know, they're both pretty hard-line JWs, Freedman more so than Morris. And incidentally, I believe they're both in their 50's now, and received their 'anointings' in the 1970's.

  There may be others being groomed, I just know about those two because my family is acquainted with them.

  There was a "special" Memorial at an Assembly Hall recently where one of the GB was the speaker; Joel Friedman was also introduced as being from "World Headquarters" and said one of the bread/wine prayers. So, at some level, he's in the wings at Headquarters around the GB.

  He's partaken for decades, is an excellent speaker, and comes across as very kind both in person and from stage. Interestingly enough, he only has 1 child, a daughter, who left the Org (maybe 20 years ago?) with her husband not too long after they got married.